Mature Arkansas

Mature Arkansas MARCH 22, 2012

Will Lake Maumelle Survive?

Page 8

ALSO in this issue

Get Back to Gardening pages 13 & 14

Get a Good Night’s Sleep page 12

Join the Grand Promenade page 15

MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

1

E D ITORIAL

GUEST EDITORIAL n By Herb Sanderson

Urban Growth Boundaries Bring People Together

By Leonard Stern

T

he Lake Maumelle Watershed issue is a classic example of how communities fail to adequately solve important social issues vital to our health and economic well-being. Divided, distrustful and apathetic, citizens leave major policy decisions to those with the most to gain - big corporations and the politicians who serve them.

We only have to look to 1993 when Deltic Timber pushed for the annexation of 4,700-acre Chenal Valley in west Little Rock.

Despite at 7-2 vote by the Planning Commission against annexation, citing the enormous drain on city services, then-Mayor Jim Dailey and a majority of city directors voted for annexation. At the time, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette columnist John Brummett called the debate a “culture war between those wanting Little Rock to grow for the sake of growth and those convinced that westward expansion serves only the elite and represents cultural, political and economic neglect of the troubled old city.”

In the end, it’s not all about the water. It’s about government subsidies for land developers by allowing urban sprawl to create doughnut-shaped cities. Through its zoning policies and annexation, municipal governments pump taxpayer dollars into infrastructure improvements for low-density neighborhoods, while much-needed improvements in the inner city languish.

This condition, commonly known as urban sprawl, robs us of the simple pleasures of city life: good public transportation, safe streets and lively public spaces. Reducing dependence on automobiles could save the environment and our money, as gas prices continue to climb and streets and sewer lines age.

Maybe it’s time to re-think our zoning policies and create an urban growth boundary to promote high density development in older neighborhoods while refusing to annex low-density areas outside the city.

Mature Arkansas Publisher Alan Leveritt Editor Anne Wasson Art Director Mike Spain Assistant to the Editor Paige Parham Photographer Brian Chilson Director of sales Katherine Daniels Account Executive Erin Holland Production Manager Weldon Wilson Production Assistant Tracy Whitaker

ad Coordinators Roland Gladden Kelly Schlachter Graphic Artists Bryan Moats Katie Cook Controller Weldon Wilson Office Manager Angie Fambrough IT Director Robert Curfman Billing and Collections Linda Phillips Circulation Director Anitra Hickman

Mature Arkansas is published each week by Arkansas Times Limited Partnership, 201 East Markham Street, 200 Heritage Center West, P.O. Box 34010, Little Rock, Arkansas 72203, phone (501) 375-2985. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents without the written consent of the publishers is prohibited. Manuscripts and artwork will not be returned or acknowledged unless sufficient return postage and a self-addressed stamped envelope are included. All materials are handled with due care, however, the publisher assumes no responsibility for care and safe return of unsolicited materials. All letters sent to Mature Arkansas will be treated as intended for publication and are subject to Mature Arkansas’ unrestricted right to edit or to comment editorially. All content © 2012 Mature Arkansas

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2 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Get Maximum Social Security Benefits

A

new AARP survey demonstrates that while many Americans approaching retirement have a basic understanding about the benefits they can expect to receive from Social Security, they remain unaware of different claiming strategies that could have a significant impact on their income throughout retirement.

Although the survey found widespread awareness that waiting to start receiving benefits until several years after age 62 can result in higher monthly benefits, few respondents had an accurate sense of how much higher benefits could be.

“When and how to claim Social Security retirement benefits can be a complex decision, and is different for everyone,” said Jean Setzfand, AARP vice president for financial security. “This survey shows us that people approaching retirement may be facing this decision without enough information to make the right choices for themselves and their families.”

Among the survey’s findings: • Only 29% know that waiting until age 70 to start benefits would mean receiving the highest possible retirement benefit. About 20% incorrectly believed they could receive the maximum benefits even before reaching their full retirement age.

• A majority (57%) said they expect to start collecting their Social Security retirement benefits at an age lower than full retirement age.

Only 10% expect to claim at age 70 or older, which would maximize their monthly benefits.

• Most (89%) were aware their monthly benefits would be higher if they claim benefits at full retirement age rather than at 62. But of those, about half underestimated by more than 10% how much their benefits would increase.

• 57% of those who identified themselves as the least knowledgeable about Social Security are nonetheless expecting Social Security to be a major source of their retirement income. This gap in knowledge may mean lower lifetime benefits.

• Widows and widowers were familiar with Social Security benefits, but fewer than half of respondents who are or have ever been married were aware that spousal benefits are available while the worker is alive.

“People are worried about retirement. Many know they haven’t saved enough, and they’re counting on Social Security,” Setzfand says. “By getting more information about claiming strategies that might result in a bigger base of monthly retirement income from Social Security, they can achieve some financial peace of mind.”

AARP offers resources, including free webinars on Social Security and retirement planning, to help its members and all older Americans plan for a secure retirement at www.aarp.org. To get an estimate of how much you can expect to receive in Social Security retirement benefits, visit www.aarp.org/socialsecuritybenefits. To find out if your plans are still on track to retire when and how you want, go to www.aarp.org/ retirementcalculator

This gap in

knowledge may mean lower lifetime benefits.

Mr. Sanderson is associate state director for advocacy, AARP Arkansas.

Mrs. Johnson is Benefit/Relations Director with the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care. For answers about Medicare or Medicaid, call AFMC toll free 888-354-9100.

MEDI CAR E MAT T ERS n B y Sall y J o h nson

Lower Your Risk for Colorectal Cancer

D

r. David McElreath, of the Little Rock Diagnostic Clinic, highlights several ways to lower your risk for colorectal cancer. Some risk factors, like a family history of colorectal cancer, being male, African-American or over age 50, are out of your control. However, the lifestyle choices you make also affect your risk.

Q: How can I lower the risk for colorectal cancer?

Dr. McElreath: High-fat diets, diets high in red meat, smoking, and drinking alcohol put you at moderate risk for colorectal cancer.

To reduce your risk, eat a high-fiber diet, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, quit smoking and get regular exercise.

Q: Are there early symptoms to watch for?

Dr. McElreath: Every person needs to be aware of changes in bowel habits — frequency, size, etc. Any rectal bleeding should be reported to your doctor. We’re always concerned about any unexplained weight loss, or if you’re diagnosed with irondeficient anemia. You may not have symptoms until the cancer is obstructive, meaning it’s big enough that it’s blocking your colon. That’s why screening tests are so important.

Choosing a Gastroenterologist

I

t’s time to make an appointment to get screened for colorectal cancer. So whom should you call for an appointment? Dr. David McElreath shares some tips on how to choose the right gastroenterologist--the type of doctor who specializes in the digestive organs.

Q: What should I look for when picking a gastroenterologist?

Dr. McElreath: Doctors are required to complete a certain number of procedures before finishing their residency program. You should ask how many colonoscopies they’ve done and if they perform them on a regular basis. Ask if they have

ever had any complications with the procedure. The most important consideration is how often they do colonoscopies.

Q: What is “withdrawal time” and why is it important?

Dr. McElreath: That’s the amount

of time spent evaluating the colon (during a colonoscopy) after reaching the far end of the colon. When you get to the end, you come back very slowly until the scope is out. That’s when you spend the most time looking for

polyps. Polyps are not always round and prominent; sometimes they’re flat and hard to see.

Withdrawal time should always be at least six minutes. Ask the gastroenterologist what his or hers withdrawal time is.

Eating Healthy Why Eat ChiCkEn? T

he average American consumes about 59.3 pounds of chicken a year and with good reason. Much of chicken’s popularity can be attributed to the fact that it is a delicious form of lean protein and is also extremely versatile. It can be sauteed, baked, poached or grilled, making used of a wide variety of marinades and spices. 4 oz of chicken gives you two thirds of your body’s daily protein requirement.

Chicken has quite a few good qualities in addition to being a lean protein, such as helping prevent bone loss as you age and provides the body with nutrients to boost immunity. B Vitamins that are present in chicken also play a role in helping prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer. All of the above are excellent reasons to include this protein as part of your weekly balanced diet.

sWEEt and tangy ChiCkEn Servings: 4 Prep Time: 20 Min. Cook Time: 15 Min. What you need: 1 Tbsp. butter 1-1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves 1 can (10-3/4 oz.) Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup (Regular or Healthy Request®) 1/4 c. water 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar 1 Tbsp. vinegar 1 c. regular long grain white rice,

1701 Main Street 501-376-3473

prepared according to pkg. directions (about 3-c.)

What to do: 1. Heat the butter in a 10-in. skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 10 min. or until well browned on both sides.

2. Stir the soup, water, brown sugar and vinegar in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 min. or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve the chicken and sauce with the rice.

Nutritional information: Calories: 411; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Cholesterol: 91mg; Total

Carbs: 50g; Fiber: 1g; Protein: 35g; Sodium: 400mg;

Serve With: Roasted carrots and crusty bakery wheat rolls nnn

For more delicious recipe ideas go to www.edwardsfoodgiant.com/ recipeweb/recipes.jsp and create a grocery list of everything you need using the shopping tool on the website.

If you have any questions, just ask friendly and helpful Food Giant staff who are there to make your shopping experience a pleasant one.

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7507 Cantrell road 501-614-3477

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MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

3

☛

The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us. — Theodore Roosevelt.

☛

Restaurant g u ide n By bob wood

Healthy Eating at New China I

work for myself, and, around lunch time, I love them), assorted fruit and need a break from staring at my computer get out for about $10. That’s monitor. So, I like to go out and mingle with more than a Super-Sized real, live people, and get in some muchQuarter-Pounder Combo Meal, needed socialization. A few years ago, I also of course, but you won’t be decided to try to eat “healthier” meals, whenseeing a cardiologist anytime ever I could. soon, either.

I started looking for places where the The décor in most of food was fresh, not out of a package, and I these places is generic Asian wanted to minimize fried foods. As you might and quickly forgettable. It is imagine, these seemingly simple requests unlikely folks go for the inteeliminated the overwhelming majority of rior design. Most of these lunch restaurants in our area. I managed to places bring in young kids from find a few and most of them serve Asian or mainland China, via New York New China Super Buffet lives up to its name.

Asian-style foods.

City. They work very hard, save New China Super Buffet and Carry-Out on their money and then leave.

JFK in North Little Rock is one of them. First, The owners, usually Chinese, make a tidy you to improve your eating habits and, by I love the hyperbole of “Super Buffet” in its profit by limiting food options and keeping extension, your health just a little. A recent title. Second, the food is reasonably-priced overhead to a minimum. It’s formulaic, of book on healthy eating summed up the and much healthier than fast-food places. course, but seems to be a successful busiprocess in three steps: Asian buffets, and there are many locally, ness model.

1. Eat fresh food; not canned, packaged serve what I think of as “Chinese-like” food.

Within that model, is an opportunity for and processed That is, the food options 2. Strive for smaller share only a vague simiportions; never stuff yourlarity to dishes bearing self the same names at 3. Eat mostly plants. authentic Chinese restaurants. So, one Don’t get me wrong; person’s understanding I’m no ascetic. I happen to of General Tso’s Chicken love beer, fried catfish and is another’s odd concoca good steak with Bearnaise tion of fried chicken in a Sauce. I just eat them relageneric sweet-and-sour tively infrequently. It makes sauce. them taste that much better What I like about when I do.

New China is the fact The next time you find that I can pick and yourself in a “Chinesechoose among the buffet like” place, take a look at items and end up with the healthy options you a reasonably healthy have and give them a try. lunch. The sushi is You may be pleasantly pedestrian but fresh surprised. and tastes good. Soups New China Super Buffet are the usual suspects and Carry-Out, 4617 JF and are OK. You can fill Kennedy Blvd., North Little your plate with steamed Rock, 501-753-8988. or stir-fried fresh vegetables, rice or lo mein, Mr. Wood, a Little Rock Sushi with hard-boiled eggs is one of Mr. Wood’s favorite hard-boiled eggs (OK, writer and designer, is non-fast-food alternatives. not so healthy, but I often hungry.

4 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Chenal Adult Day Center

consumer n By Jay Bradford

Ar Insurance Commissioner

“Sharing the Caring.”

Call to schedule a FREE DAY

Who Needs Renter's Insurance?

(501) 716-9180

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Home Setting Rich in Socialization Nutritious Meals, Daily Activities Medication Management Memory & Cognition Program Therapeutic Techniques & Activities Caregiver Support

A

s a homeowner, most people carry a mortgage and have no choice but to purchase homeowner’s insurance as a requirement of their loan. For renters, the choice is an individual one. If you are facing changes in lifestyle or circumstances, you might choose to go without • Elder Choices Medicaid renter’s insurance. You should remember that renters have many of Waver Program the same risks as homeowners. These risks include protecting posses• Financial Assistance Arkansas Licensure sions and liability for home accidents. Your landlord’s coverage only takes care of damage to the building’s structure, but will not protect Be a part of the next your personal belongings. ure Mkaatn s a s There are differences between homeowners ar coverage and renter’s coverage. When trying to determine how much renter’s insurance you may need, be sure to talk with your insurYou If you are interested in learning more about Have ance agent or company about the property Housinngs Mature Arkansas and how you could promote optio you want to protect and the property hazards your business or services, please contact us at from which you would like to be insured. Also matureadvertising@arktimes.com or call 501-375-2985.

“Adding life to days, when days can discuss with your agent whether you can get a discount on renter’s no longer be added to life.” insurance if your residence has particular safety features such as a burglar or fire alarm.

Just as with most homeowner’s insurance policies, renter’s insurance does not generally cover natural disasters such as flood or earthquake.

If you own a pet, your premium may be higher because certain municiHospice “Adding life to days, when days can Home Care palities require owners of certain breeds to have insurance policies to no longer be added “Adding to life tolife.” days, when days can no longer be added to life.” cover damages or injuries caused by the Providing Care In: animal. This liability could be included in a Hospice Hospice Hospital • Primary Residence • Nursing Home Home Care Home Care standard renter’s policy, but some compaLittle Rock Inpatient Center “Adding days can “Addinglifelifeto todays, days,when when days can nonolonger longerbebeadded addedto tolife.” life.” nies might require additional coverage. Ask Providing Care In: 501-221-3338 your insurance agent.

Hospice 2200 S. Bowman • Little Rock, AR 72211 Home Care 501-221-3338 One question you should definitely ask www.hospicehomecare.com www.hospicehomecare.com your agent is whether it will cover addiProviding ProvidingCare CareIn: In: HOTProviding SPRINGS PINECare BLUFF MONTICELLO SEARCY CONWAY In: tional living expenses if you have to live 501-321-4014 870-540-0727 870-367-9008 501-279-7955 501-336-9172 Hospital • Primary Residence • Nursing Home 501-221-3338 501-221-3338 Providing care in a 50 mile radius around each location. elsewhere during the repair of a damaged Little Rock Inpatient Center Providing Care In: www.hospicehomecare.com www.hospicehomecare.com dwelling.

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MATURE ARKANSAS march 22, 2012 5

Renters have

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or renter, is to

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eat local

CALEN DAR P I C KS

☛ One is nearer God’s Heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth. — Dorothy Gurney ☛

Spring Into Action

By Paige Parham

Mar 22 – Spring Canoe F l oat at P i n n ac l e Mountain, 11901 Pinnacle Valley Rd, Little Rock, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Take off from the Little Maumelle boat launch and experience the beauty of spring on this guided 4.5-mile float. No experience is required, but you should be comfortable around water. Wear shoes that can get wet. Fee includes canoe, paddles and lifejackets. Bring a lunch and water. Advance payment of $35 required. Call 868-5806 or email pinnaclemountain@arkansas.com to make a reservation.

and many vendor booths.

HGTV’s Clive Pearse will be there on Sat. at noon and 4:00 PM. Tickets are $5. For more information, contact Anthony Bucci at 479- 890-4884, email clients@stuffmartusa.com or keri@stuffmartusa.com

Mar 23 – Cruisin’ in the Rock, River Market Pavilions and Riverfront Park, 400 Pres. Clinton Ave., Little Rock, 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Enjoy some of the finest vintage cruisers in the state at this monthly meet-up downtown. Awards for Best Cruiser and Best Truck, as well as door prizes. Free admission. See www.cruisinlittlerock.com or call 370-3201 for more information.

Mar 22 – Wine Tasting with Bruce Cochran at The Afterthought, 2721 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock, 5:30 PM. After Work @ The Afterthought is a casual wine tasting held once a month by local wine gurus Bruce Cochran and James Cripps. $10 per person to sample four wines. Call 663-1196 for more information.

Mar 23 – Shanna Stroud book signing (“Grieving Pieces”) at Starving Artist Café, 411 N. Main Street, North Little Rock, 6:30 PM. Admission is $5. Call 372-7976 or see www.starvingartistcafe.net for more information.

Mar 23 – Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, at Robinson Center Music Hall, 7 Statehouse Plaza, Little Rock, 7:30 PM. Fresh off their win at the Grammys, Alison Krauss and Union Station bring their contemporary bluegrass jams to Little Rock. Tickets are $60-$75 and can be purchased at the Robinson Center box office or by visiting http://www. ticketmaster.com/Alison-Krauss-andUnion-Station-tickets/artist/861222.

6 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Mar 23- 25 – Conway Home Expo at StuffMart USA, 2505 East Oak Street, Conway. This home-related expo will feature presentations from experts, demonstrations,

M ar 2 4 – C r e sc e n t Dragonwagon book s i g n i n g (“B e a n by Bean”) at WordsWorth B oo k s & Co., 5920 R. St., Little Rock, 3:00 PM. Dragonwagon is the author of “Passionate Vegetarian,” “Alligator Arrived with Apples” and “The Cornbread Gospels.”

Call 663-4418 or visit www. wordsworthbooks.org for more information.

M ar 2 4 – 2 5 – 5 0 th Annual Arkansas Daffodil Society Show atthe Faulkner County Library, 1900 Tyler St., Conway, 2:00 PM on Sat. and 1:00 PM on Sun. Come see what Arkansas’ daffodil growers have to offer at this special show. For more information, contact Char Roush at 870- 942-7957.

Mar 25 – North Little Rock Community Concert Band performs at Hays Center, 400 W. Pershing, North Little Rock, 3:00 PM. Free admission. The North Little Rock Community Concert Band showcases performers from all over Arkansas, and they are always looking for new members. Contact Rico Belotti for more information on becoming a member at ricobelotti@comcast.net

Mar 23 – eLibrary: Using the Downloadable Library at the Roosevelt Thompson Library, 38 Rhaling Circle, Little Rock. 3:00 PM. Learn how to download ebooks and more from the CALS Downloadable Library for your Nook, Kindle, or similar portable device. Free event.

Call 821-3060 for more information.

Mar 27 – “Diamonds Were Not a Queen’s Best Friend: Marie-Antoinette and the Diamond Necklace Affair” at the Roosevelt Thompson Branch Library, 38 Rhaling Circle, Little Rock, 7:00 PM. Free admission.

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Adults Of All Ages Mar 25 – Award-winning gospel artist Sandi Patty & Friends at Robinson Center Music Hall, 7 Statehouse Plaza, Little Rock, 6:30 PM. Tickets are $40 - $55, at www.ticketmaster.com/Sandi-Patty-tickets/artist/733580 or purchase at the Robinson Center Box Office.

Dr. Thomas Kaiser, professor of history at UALR will lecture from his current research on Marie-Antoinette. This is a free event; call 821-3060 for more information.

Mar 28 – Socrates Café at the Fletcher Branch Library, 823 N. Buchanan St., Little Rock, 6:00 PM. This non-academic, philosophical discussion group meets once a month. Call 663-5457 for more information.

Mar 28-29 – The Arkansas Gerontological Society’s Annual Spring Conference, at C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center, Ferndale. Sessions include Romance in Seniors, Long-Term Care Insurance, Tai Chi, Retirement Planning, Grandparenting Issues, Adaptive Gardening and Pet Therapy. CEUs available for nurses and other aging network professionals. Visit www.agsociety.org or call 888-354-9100 for more information.

Now through May 12 – Disfarmer: Portraits From a Lifetime, Greg Thompson Fine Art, 429 Main St., North Little Rock. After his death in 1959, photographer and Heber Springs native Mike Disfarmer left a legacy of haunting black and white portraits of rural Arkansans. These photographs, at the time referred to as “penny portraits,” now fetch up as much as $30,000 each. Forty of Disfarmer’s portraits are now on display for viewing and sale. Call 664-2787 for more information.

Now through March 31 – “From Cardboard to Canvas” an exhibition of artwork by homeless veterans, will be on display at The Starving Artist café, 4121 Main St., North Little Rock. Free admission. For more information call Stephanie Goins at 257-4392.

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MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

7

Water Wars at Lake Maumelle Will Development Destroy Our Drinking Water? n By Leonard Stern

A

dry. Central Arkansas Water (CAW) may be forced to noise level is any indication, the water war has just begun. n At the center of the maelstrom is Pulaski raise prices, ration supplies or prohibit certain uses, like County Judge Buddy Villines and the 15 justices of the peace who make up Pulaski County’s Quorum watering your lawn on a hot Court. The Zoning Plan would govern development of the watershed and how developers can build within its summer day.

In many parts of the nation, boundaries. At issue are corporate and individual property rights and central Arkansas’ growing demand for water. cities are facing serious water Central Arkansas is water wealthy. Our requires little treatment for daily delivery to shortages, particularly in times of drought, two reservoirs, Lake Maumelle and Lake over 400,000 rate payers. writes Cynthia Barnett, author of the “Blue Winona, are said to be among the purest in If the Zoning Plan fails to pass, many Revolution, A Water Ethic for America.” She the Southeast and provide us with water that believe the future will be left high and says even in water-rich states, if communities don’t pull together, the water that flows from your faucet will be more expensive, less Under the oversight of the Forestry Commission, timber farmers healthy and it won’t taste very good. are allowed to clear-cut forests. Excessive run-off from erosion The Zoning Plan came up for a vote at after a forest is clear-cut will shorten Lake Maumelle’s life as the Quorum Court’s December 2011 meeting. a source of clean water. ON THE COVER: Reed Green, USGS Emotional and reasoned arguments from hydrologist, monitors the water quality of Lake Maumelle. property owners, conservation advocates, and various business interests resulted in a vote to postpone consideration, pending release of a United States Geological Survey (USGS) study, due this spring.

In the meantime, competing interests are gearing up for a final showdown amidst the tumult of an election season where JP candidates may see their fortunes hinge on a single yea or nay vote.

PHOTO by leonard stern

ttention, Pulaski County residents: The Lake Maumelle Zoning Plan is coming up for a vote and if the present

8 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

All about the money Like most political issues today, money lies at the root. Corporations and real estate developers see potential profits from highend residential and commercial development. Ratepayers want to know if their water

Tetra Tech’s 2007 Watershed Management Plan, commissioned

by Central Arkansas Water, sought input from the community.

bills will go up. Nobody wants to raise taxes.

Current residents of the watershed worry that restrictive zoning ordinances will deflate property values and limit use.

The largest landowner, Deltic Timber Corporation, sees dollar signs out Highway 10.

Their holdings include the densely wooded slopes in the Lake Maumelle Basin, an ideal setting for luxury estates and private gated communities.

In 2001, Deltic Chairman Robert Nolan stated in a press release, “Deltic has long recognized that the intrinsic value of our 33,000-acre contiguous block of pine timberland located three miles west of Chenal Valley...far exceeds its worth as a timber growing unit. We continue to believe that Deltic’s total undeveloped land holdings of over 55,000 acres in the Highway 10 corridor represent significant long-term value for our shareholders.”

The release announced the sale of an 875-acre

parcel of undeveloped land at $2,500 per acre to the Alotian Country Club. At the Club’s opening in 2004, Arkansas Business reported that, “untold millions of dollars have been spent on what is, ultimately, a playground for (Warren) Stephens and a select membership of serious (and wealthy) golfers.”

The Alotian sale marked the beginning of a decade-long dialog aimed at protecting Lake Maumelle and its watershed. Development seemed inevitable as growth continued out Highway 10, spreading ever closer to the boundaries of the watershed.

The uncertain science of water quality In the 2004, Central Arkansas Water (CAW) formed a task force to develop a new Watershed

Management Plan. A year later, CAW hired the international engineering firm, Tetra Tech, Inc., for the job.

CAW adopted the Watershed Management Plan in May 2007. The plan drew input from business interests, community groups, technical advisors and governmental agencies to set goals and performance standards. At its publication, everyone was in solid agreement for a way forward.

At the center of the plan was a scientific model called the Site Evaluation Tool (SET).

According to Tetra Tech, the SET could project organic runoff based on the specific details of the house, subdivision or grocery store. Then, follow-up testing would track the effectiveness of the model.

Well-financed organizations will beat the drum loudly for property rights and corporate profit, while those who want to protect Lake Maumelle from over-development will struggle to be heard.

MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

9

Proponents of the current plan say full buildout will never happen, at least not in our lifetime. They point to an October 2011 memo from Tetra Tech to CAW that said, based on the rate of growth in the County between 2000 and 2009, “it would take roughly 350 years to fill 3,850 new homes in the watershed...and in all likelihood CAW will have substantial time to track and evaluate development at relatively small scales.”

How a lake can disappear

“Not so fast,” says Kathy Wells, president of the Coalition of Greater Little Rock Neighborhoods. “The SET has never been tested on actual construction. It may be valid, or more likely, it may be flawed in parts and need revision.”

Wells says the SET, “uses measurements for potential pollution that aren’t based on the specific types of soil and terrain present in the Lake Maumelle area, but on generic national standards,” Wells wrote to the Pulaski County Planning Board in November 2011: “Good public policy would be to allow low numbers into the Watershed at the beginning, review the monitoring results over time and then permit more units in the future, if the science proves successful.”

At the heart of the argument is the number of units (houses, stores, condos, Calling himself an gas stations, etc.) environmentalist at recommended by heart, County Judge Tetra Tech, versus Buddy Villines, is the number of trying to balance units allowable water quality with under the Zoning property rights.

Plan issued by the County Planning

PHOTO by leonard stern

At the December 20 Quorum Court meeting, competing interests successfully request postponement of the Maumelle Zoning Plan.

Commission now up for a vote.

Tetra Tech estimated 6,380 units could be built with no significant harm to water quality, using a conservation approach. The developer could instead opt for the performance-based model, using “Best Management Practices” (BMPs) to model projected runoff. Presumably, using the performance model, developers could build as many units as they wished.

The Zoning Plan introduced at the December 2011 Quorum Court meeting would allow developers to build over 39,000 units in the Watershed, making it the second largest city in Arkansas.

10 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

Reed Green, a hydrologist for the USGS explains how man-made lakes age and how long we can expect Lake Maumelle to survive in its present condition.

“Lakes naturally want to age as they fill up with sediment. Eventually, the lake evolves into wetlands and ultimately, into a mature terrestrial environment. This process, called eutrophication, can take centuries when left to nature but can be accelerated with increased human activity,” he says.

In 50, 100 even 200 years from now, Lake Maumelle will reach a ‘point of no return’ where the amount of organic pollutants and sediment accelerates exponentially, choking the lake of its oxygen, Green explains.

The USGS is currently finishing a muchanticipated report where they have modeled the effect of low-, moderate- and high-density development on water quality. However, even with such sophisticated tools, it is impossible to accurately predict when the tipping point will occur for Lake Maumelle.

“The report will provide valuable information to us, particularly over time as we continue to monitor water quality, but there are severe limitations on whether the report should be used to justify zoning d e c i s i o n s n ow, ” Green says.

“The effect of future development cannot be predicted with certainty because Lake Maumelle is a special case with unique characteristics related to water quality, geology and environment,” he concludes.

Landowner rights Judge Villines says, at heart, he’s a dedicated environmen-

talist and has made protecting Lake Maumelle his first priority.

“It would be great to leave the watershed just like it is,” Villines says, “But we have a strong tradition and legal responsibility to protect individual property rights.” By law, the state must pay market value for any property taken for the public good.

“We could never afford to buy all the land in the watershed,” Villines says. “So the Quorum Court has to strike a balance between the public good, protecting water quality and individual property rights. That hasn’t been easy.”

Villines and CAW officials have devoted a great deal of time meeting with angry and fearful property owners. As a result, several changes to the zoning plan are under review.

“The zoning ordinances are perceived as a major headache by small landowners,” says Chuck Nestrud, an environmental attorney in Little Rock. An expert in regulatory matters, Nestrud represented Deltic Timber during the development of the Maumelle Zoning Plan.

At issue are complex building restrictions and the requirement to designate 25% of the total land area for open space. As a major developer, Deltic Timber knows how to comply with such zoning and building ordinances, and generally supports the current plan.

“Small landowners are upset because the proposed zoning ordinance interferes with property rights in ways that have nothing to do with water quality,” Nestrud says. “They moved out there to get away from the city and believe zoning threatens their way of life.”

“The Arkansas State Constitution, Article 2, Section 22 says the right of property is above everything else,” Lori White, of the Pulaski County Property Owner’s Coalition, wrote in a December 12 article published by the Daily Record.

“That private property cannot be taken without just compensation.

That is what is happening to us. While they aren’t taking my land, I still have title, they are taking away my value and my use, which is the same as taking my property. That is against the state constitution. You just can’t do that,” White says.

Kathy Wells, president of the Coalition of Greater Little Rock Neighborhoods, keeps pressure on county politicians to limit development until all scientific models are proven

lake’s dismal history: “… the lake’s watershed has been extensively developed and urbanized. The impacts of this urban growth have manifested themselves on Lake Conway through accelerated silt accumulation in the lake, modification of the lake’s shoreline by adjacent landowners, increased surface runoff of precipitation (erosion), and the occurrence of health notices from high levels of fecal coliforms.”

Wells said Conway officials gave way to political pressure and allowed recreational houses and other development around the shoreline and into the watershed. Sewage and run-off from streets and houses eventu-

A Political Showdown The best solution for the future of Lake Maumelle is yet unclear. Most people are confused, apathetic or clueless. Development seems inevitable, with or without the new zoning ordinances. The free market reigns supreme in central Arkansas.

Villines, CAW and the pro-growth lobby claim science will protect water quality.

Meanwhile, anti-development advocates are desperately lobbying to limit the number of units allowed, at least until the SET is proven effective…or not.

A proposed amendment to the plan,

Is high-density development worth the risk to our drinking water?

Don’t repeat Conway’s error Wells, and others who favor limited development around Lake Maumelle, points to Lake Conway as a perfect example of how not to manage a watershed.

Lake Conway was built in 1948 as the City’s primary source of clean water and largemouth bass. A recent study by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission described the

ally choked the life out of the lake. By the late 1970s, at huge taxpayer expense, Conway was forced to build a new reservoir, Lake Brewer, pumping facilities and pipelines.

Does the Lake Conway experience foretell the future of Lake Maumelle? The question before the Quorum Court is whether highdensity development, even when supported by the SET and other scientific models, is worth the risk to our drinking water.

“What price will Pulaski County taxpayers have to pay to clean up damage caused by de-forestation and development in the watershed,” Wells asks? “It’s important to protect property rights, particularly for the small landowners, but if Lake Maumelle ‘dies before its time,’ we’ll all be paying for it,” she adds.

supported by the Citizens to Protect Lake Maumelle, urges the Quorum Court to limit the number of units to 3,680, rather than the full build-out allowance of 39,000.

In the coming months, Lake Maumelle will be at the center of fierce debate, particularly as the race heats up for the Quorum Court. Expect to hear from lobbying groups like the Koch Brothers-funded Americans for Prosperity, the Central Arkansas Chamber of Commerce and Little Rock Realtors Association.

These well-financed organizations will beat the drum loudly for property rights and corporate profit while the voices of those who want to protect Lake Maumelle from over-development will struggle to be heard.

MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

11

health n B y Pa ig e Par ham

Getting a Good Night's Sleep

Part IV

Y

our sleep habits may be stopping you from getting a good night’s sleep. Although many people who suffer from poor sleep actually do suffer from a physical illness, sometimes all that is needed to sleep well is some adjustments to sleeping habits and environment. In fact, the practice of good sleep habits can prevent the development of sleep disorders such as insomnia.

Dr. Raghu Reddy, director of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ (UAMS) Sleep Medicine Clinic in Little Rock, explains that sleep habits (also referred to as sleep hygiene), are extremely important in determining whether your sleep is adequate for your body’s needs.

“Good sleep hygiene involves strict bedtimes and wake-up times. It’s important to keep the same schedule even on weekends and holidays,” Reddy says. “Your body cannot set its internal clock if you do not keep regular sleep and wake times.” In addition to maintaining regular bedtimes, Reddy offers several other suggestions for improving sleep habits.

For optimum sleeping conditions, your bedroom should be cool but not cold and as dark as possible. “The bed should really only be used for sleeping, so your mind associates lying down with sleep,” Reddy advises. “Do not watch television in bed, or get on your laptop. Avoid lying in bed trying to sleep,” he says. “If you wake during the night and cannot fall back asleep, don’t just lie there. The time you spend in bed should be sleeping.” Reddy explains that doing things in bed other than sleeping will result in poor sleep habits. Your bed should not be a place to lounge or work on projects.

It is important to avoid caffeinated drinks several hours before bedtime. Caffeine is a

Your body cannot set its internal clock if you do not

keep regular sleep and wake times.

stimulant and will make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Avoid excess alcohol consumption before bed. While alcohol is not a stimulant like caffeine, the regular use of alcohol can increase your risk of sleep disorders and make it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night.

If you exercise, do so at least two hours prior to bedtime. “Exercising produces adrenaline, which will stimulate your mind and make it hard to fall asleep,” Reddy says.

Many people assume you can safely make up for lack of sleep by taking a daily nap. Reddy explains why this is a very bad idea. “Naps take

away your drive to sleep at night,” he says. “If you must take a nap, limit it to 20 minutes at the very most. After 20 minutes, your brain goes into a deep sleep stage, and it will be difficult to function properly if you are awakened,” he says. Reddy says it’s not necessarily the amount of sleep that is important, it’s whether or not your sleep is in one continuous block of time. “Fragmented sleep is very bad.

If you are getting sleep in blocks of a few hours at a time, it is diluting your sleep,” he says. “You will not be able to function the same as if you got seven to eight hours of continuous sleep. It is actually worse for you to get fragments of sleep because you will never go into deep REM sleep.” REM sleep is the most restorative to your mental and physical health.

How much sleep does a person need, exactly? Reddy says it varies from person to person. “You can survive on as little as four hours of sleep – but you will not be functioning well,” he says. “The average person needs around seven hours to maintain normal brain function. If someone is not getting enough sleep, if they are having problems staying awake during the day or functioning in their job, they should talk to their doctor about it.”

Reddy says the UAMS Sleep Medicine Clinic is set up to help patients discover what their sleep issues are and the best solutions to ensure they can get a good night’s sleep. The Clinic itself treats sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep walking, while the UAMS Sleep Lab is used to diagnose more severe problems such as sleep apnea, limb movement disorders, or narcolepsy.

If you think that you may have a sleep disorder, talk to your doctor about a referral to a sleep specialist.

Sleep Clinics in Central Arkansas The Arkansas Center for Sleep Medicine, Little Rock; 501- 661-9191 Arkansas Neurology, Conway; 501- 932-0352 Baptist Health Sleep Clinic, Little Rock; 501- 212-1902 Baptist Health Sleep Disorders Center, North Little Rock; 501-202-3400 12 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

The Sleep Clinic of Arkansas, Little Rock, 501- 312-0070 St. Joseph’s Mercy Sleep Center, Hot Springs; 501- 622-1000 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock; 501- 686-8000

Photo: photos.com, AlexStar

Improve Sleep Hygiene

Gardening ed itor i al n By John Holland

Container Gardening a Popular Option C

ontainer gardening is moisture requirements certainly not a new are similar. For example, horticultural concept, but ferns and cacti have such it currently plays a huge different soil, light, moisrole in many outdoor ture and fertilizer requireresidential gardens. It is ments that they would growing in popularity not grow well in the same as life-long gardeners container and eventually down-size to smaller die. Experiment with spaces, such as a few plants you enjoy. Ask your large containers on an nurseryman which ones apartment balcony. Its do well in containers. If popularity is also due to you decide to create your the flexibility it allows own combinations, ask a gardener with regard which soil combinations to color, texture, form will work well with the and scale of different plants you have chosen. containers and the plants Also ask about light and within. The gardener moisture requirements. with a strong desire to Be sure to give your A container of succulents works well on a sunny balcony or deck. frequently change their plants room to grow. As a gardening environment general rule, flowers like can do this easily with containers. Such changes together. Add a hanging basket or two at your 4-6� of soil depth; veggies need 12� or more. would be next to impossible with conventional entry, back door or above your deck or terrace.

Vary the color and texture of your containers plantings.

Create combinations you like and remember as well as their size. Grouping an odd number Spring bulbs, followed by flowering annuals, you only have to please yourself...or possibly of containers of different sizes makes an interfollowed by fall mums in one container is your spouse. esting arrangement for a deck or porch. Move a possible progression. Trees or shrubs in All plants need proper soil, fertilizer, moisany containers that don't seem to be happy containers can dominate a scene with vines ture and light. These are the four most important with their environment. or ground covers that could screen or offer a factors to consider when container gardening.

As you become more and more familiar background. Smaller flowering plants would Try to group plants whose light, fertilizer and with what works for you and your situation, add accent color to this design. discard your failures and The possibilities are endless. continue to experiment with I am presently growing new combinations, available three dwarf Japanese maples every spring, summer and fall in containers on my back at your garden center. Within deck. They have survived five a few garden seasons, you winters in northwest Arkansas, should be able to master this with 20 degrees below zero garden style and make a beautemperatures, so don't be tiful and distinctive addition afraid to experiment. You may to your home. This simple also bring containers in for the start may well lead to a new winter or store them in your gardening style that better garage or crawlspace under suits your limits of time, space your house. and physical abilities.

If this gardening style is new Happy gardening! to you, visit garden centers or nurseries to select existing Dr. John Holland, a practicing combinations or create your dentist in Rogers, is past viceown versions. Start by buying president of the American a few containers and plants Daylily Society and maintains Container gardening can also include raised beds incorporated into that are different but go well a seven-acre garden. architectural features.

MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

13

Gardening edi tori al

Gardening To-Do List I

f this beautiful weather is luring you back Pruning tips to your garden, here’s a to-do list from the If you have not pruned your summer bloomers Arkansas’ gardening experts, the University of such as buddleia, crape myrtle and roses yet, Arkansas’ Cooperative Extension Service (CES). get going. Plants that bloom on the new growth “The jury is still out as to how much permanent need to be pruned before new growth is too far damage last year’s drought took on our plants,” along. Late pruning won’t hurt the plants but according to the CES. Many gardeners are it can delay the onset of first flowers, according noticing fewer blooms and more dead branches. to the CES. The CES advises caution on removing damaged plants. They say it is too soon to know what is Veggies abound living and what is not.

March is time to plant cool weather veggies “When broken branches occur, clean them such as broccoli, cabbage, potatoes, lettuce, up quickly,” the CES advises. “Leave burned or spinach and chard, greens, peas, onions, carrots, brown foliage intact until spring growth truly radishes and turnips. By the end of the month The New York Times Syndication Salesstart Corporation begins. Monitor your plants as they spring the CES says the pole beans. Use trans620Seventh Eighth Avenue, 500 Avenue,New NewYork, York,N.Y. N.Y.10018 10018 back to life and allow spring blooming plants a plants of cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower, not For Information Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Thursday, March 22, 2012 March 16, 2012 start. Onions are planted as chance to bloom before pruning.” For Release Friday, seeds, to get a head

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14 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS

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Fertilize bulbs Spring bulbs should be fertilized now or whenever you see flower buds beginning. That will give the fertilizer time to work its way down to the bulb before the end of the growing cycle. “The six-week growth cycle following bloom is when they set their flowers for next spring,” the CES says. If your bulbs are getting crowded or are in a spot with too little sun to bloom well, you can transplant them immediately after flowering. If you transplant, leave 0216 0210 the foliage intact. Let the foliage die naturally before cutting.

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Flowers Pansies, violas and dianthus are rebounding this month. They should last into early summer if you deadhead the spent blossoms and fertilize them regularly. If you want more color, plant geraniums, calibrachoa, petunias, English primroses, larkspur, cornflowers and bachelor buttons. If you want to add some easy care perennials, look for hellebores, columbines, bleeding heart and foxglove that are blooming now. The CES advises: “Start planning your summer color, but don’t actually plant any until mid-April.”

Lawn care If your lawn appears to be greening up, be sure it’s not winter weeds.

The mild winter gave weeds an early start. Allowing them to bloom produces seeds and even more weeds next spring. Keep the lawn mowed to reduce seeding. Don’t fertilize until your lawn is totally green—usually in mid to late April or even May. “Many pre-emergent herbicides come as a weed-andfeed combo. Applying fertilizer now before the grass is fully awake will be a waste,” the CES says.

HI K I N G W I T H LEE HI L L E R

Lee Hiller HikeOurPlanet.com

here is a graceful flow to the Grand Promenade Loop that travels across the base of Hot Springs Mountain and down along Bathhouse Row. Hot Springs National Park is a unique blend of man-made and natural architecture. The symbiotic relationship creates an inviting place to walk, hike and enjoy Arkansas’ beauty. It is the perfect location to get out of a mall-walking routine and reconnect with nature.

The Grand Promenade entrance is located on Fountain Street approximately a block up from the Central Avenue main park entrance.

As I walk up the brick surface, I always feel as if I am Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road to Oz. No lions, tigers or bears; only an occasional chipmunk, squirrel and deer. To my right, the park slopes down into the city of Hot Springs. To my left, the forest rises to the top of Hot Springs Mountain. There are many spectacular views along the Grand Promenade, including places that allow you to view the historic architecture and look across to West Mountain.

Further along, I see steam rising from the Hot Water Cascade on both sides of the Promenade. Looking over the rail on the right I watch as hot water cascades into two large pools far below on the Arlington Lawn.

On the left is the Tufa Terrace Trail that runs parallel with and above the Grand Promenade. This alternative paved path winds through the lower reaches of the forest

Lee Hiller HikeOurPlanet.com

T

Entrance to the Grand Promenade and over a hot spring canal. Flowering trees are exploding with pastel blooms. Along the grassy edges grow a wide variety of colorful, ever-changing wildflowers.

The stairs of the original reserve entrance reconnect me with the Promenade. Rock slopes and open lawns give way to big trees rising above the bricks below my feet.

Seasonal song birds can be heard as they hide among the magnolia leaves near the end of the Grand Promenade.

When I reach the Reserve Street stairs I descend and turn right heading toward

From the Grand Promenade, two right turns and you’re on Hot Springs’ famous Bathhouse Row.

Central Avenue. Another right and I walk along historic Bathhouse Row, under a canopy of tall, old Southern Magnolia Trees and architecture from the last century.

Each bath house has been renovated to host a variety of business. The Buckstaff (1912) operates as a classic bathhouse while the Quapaw (1922) is a modern luxury spa.

Hot Springs Museum of Contemporary Art is located in the Ozark Bathhouse (1922).

The Hale (1892) has recently reopened its doors as the 3 Arts Café and Bookstore.

They offer a sumptuous variety of salads, sandwiches and desserts. It is currently the only eatery officially within National Park boundaries.

As I pass the Superior Bathhouse, the Arlington Lawn comes into view. In the distance, steam rises from the hot spring water pools. My short hike ends where it began, at the main entrance of Hot Springs National Park.

Trail: Grand Promenade/Bathhouse Row Loop Trail head: Fountain St. Hot Springs, AR Points of Interest: Hot Water Cascade and Historical Bathhouse row Level: Easy to Moderate Duration: 30-45 minutes Footwear: Sneakers or street shoes Wheelchair Access: Yes MATURE ARKANSAS

march 22, 2012

15

☛ Such gardens are not made by singing: ”Oh, how beautiful!” and sitting in the shade. — Rudyard Kipling ☛

Join the Grand Promenade

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16 march 22, 2012 MATURE ARKANSAS